American Folk Art Museum

The American Folk Art Museum is a museum in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, dedicated to American self-taught and vernacular art. It was founded in 1961 and has built a substantial collection of works by self-taught artists.

Galleries present paintings, quilts, carved figures, furniture, and other forms of material culture created outside formal academic traditions; the permanent holdings exceed several thousand objects. The program includes rotating temporary exhibitions and public programs focused on research and contemporary practitioners.

Established in 1961 as an institution to collect, study, and exhibit American folk and self-taught art, the museum expanded its holdings and exhibition program over the late 20th century. Its collection development and exhibition work have positioned it as a leading U.S. center for nonacademic American art.

The museum sits in the Lincoln Square/Lincoln Center area of Manhattan, New York City, on the west side of Manhattan near major cultural venues and transit connections.

• Collection size: Holds more than 7,000 objects spanning 18th-century material culture to contemporary self-taught artists.
• Location and access: Located in the Lincoln Square area of Manhattan, adjacent to Lincoln Center, making it easy to combine with nearby performing-arts visits.